System and method for applying computational knowledge to device data

Abstract

A system and method are provided for acquiring and processing device usage data and applying a computational knowledge thereto for proactively determining customer state, including inferring device usage patterns, and accordingly proposing at least one action, if any, to be undertaken. In particular, computational knowledge represented by a set of rules is applied to the processed device data for analyzing the processed data and describing at least one feature or characteristic relating to the processed data using keywords. A rules database is accessed and at least one rule is selected from a set of rules. The at least one selected rule includes keywords which substantially match the keywords used to describe the feature or characteristic of the processed data. The at least one selected rule is then correlated to at least one proposed action using the rules database. The at least one determined rule and/or at least one proposed action are then outputted.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for applying a set of rules to a processed device data corresponding to a device, said method comprising:
 identifying, in the processed device data, a trend line comprising a graphical representation of the processed device data, the processed device data including operational and performance related data of the device, and the trend line indicating a state of the device; 
 analyzing the trend line to select at least one selected keyword from a predetermined plurality of keywords that describes at least one feature of the trend line; 
 accessing a rules database storing said set of rules, wherein each rule of the set of rules comprises descriptive textual data that describes at least one trend line feature and a reason for the at least one trend line feature; 
 examining the set of rules to determine at least one rule from the set of rules containing descriptive textual data that includes the at least one selected keyword; 
 identifying a proposed action correlated to the at least one rule, wherein the proposed action is for remedying the state of the device indicated by the trend line; and 
 providing the proposed action to a user associated with the device for determining whether to undertake the proposed action. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one keyword further describes a feature of the processed device data. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which includes at least one alternate keyword which approximates the at least one keyword. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing an explanation of the proposed action to the user. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which is correlated to a graphical feature which approximates the graphical representation of the processed device data. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing the proposed action to the user comprises displaying the at least one rule and the proposed action. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of new rules; and 
 appending the new rules to the rules database. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the trend line is mostly flat with sporadic jumps; and 
 determining, based on the trend line that was determined, a usage pattern of the device that indicates that the device is running infrequently and long jobs between periods of inactivity. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the trend line abruptly breaks upward; and 
 determining, based on the trend line that was determined, a usage pattern of the device that indicates that a throughput of the device has improved. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the trend line steadily ramps up and then dramatically decreases in slope; and 
 determining, based on the trend line that was determined, a usage pattern of the device that indicates that the device is malfunctioning. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the trend line abruptly breaks downward; and 
 determining, based on the trend line that was determined, a usage pattern of the device that indicates that the throughput of the device has been reduced. 
 
     
     
       12. A system for applying a set of rules to a processed device data corresponding to a device, said system comprises:
 a memory storing a set of instructions and the set of rules; and 
 a processor executing the set of instructions, the instructions to:
 identify, in the processed device data, a trend line comprising a graphical representation of the processed device data, the processed device data including operational and performance related data of the device, and the trend line indicating a state of the device; 
 analyze the trend line to select at least one selected keyword from a predetermined plurality of keywords that describes at least one feature of the trend line; 
 access a rules database storing said set of rules, wherein each rule of the set of rules comprises descriptive textual data that describes at least one trend line feature and a reason for the at least one trend line feature 
 examine the set of rules to determine at least one rule from the set of rules containing descriptive textual data that includes the at least one selected keyword; 
 identify a proposed action correlated to the at least one rule, wherein the proposed action is for remedying the state of the device indicated by the trend line; and 
 provide the proposed action to a user associated with the device for determining whether to undertake the proposed action. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one keyword further describes a feature of the processed device data. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which includes at least one alternate keyword which approximates the at least one keyword. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 12 , the instructions further to represent the processed device data by a graphical representation having a feature. 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 15 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which is correlated to a graphical feature which approximates the feature of the graphical representation of the processed device data. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein providing the proposed action to the user comprises displaying the at least one rule and the proposed action. 
     
     
       18. A computer-readable medium storing a set of programmable instructions configured for being executed by at least one processor for applying a set of rules to a processed device data corresponding to a device for performing a method comprising the steps of:
 identifying, in the processed device data, a trend line comprising a graphical representation of the processed device data, the processed device data including operational and performance related data of the device, and the trend line indicating a state of the device; 
 analyzing the trend line to select at least one selected keyword from a predetermined plurality of keywords that describes at least one feature of the trend line; 
 accessing a rules database storing said set of rules, wherein each rule of the set of rules comprises descriptive textual data that describes at least one trend line feature and a reason for the at least one trend line feature; 
 examining the set of rules to determine at least one rule from the set of rules containing descriptive textual data that includes the at least one selected keyword; 
 identifying a proposed action correlated to the at least one rule, wherein the proposed action is for remedying the state of the device indicated by the trend line; and 
 providing the proposed action to a user associated with the device for determining whether to undertake the proposed action. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one keyword further describes a feature of the processed device data. 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 18 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which includes at least one alternate keyword which approximates the at least one keyword. 
     
     
       21. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 18 , the method further comprising providing an explanation of the proposed action to the user. 
     
     
       22. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 18 , wherein examining the set of rules comprises selecting the at least one rule from the set of rules which is correlated to a graphical feature which approximates the graphical representation of the processed device data.